Bricks With Holes in Them

[DaveDQ]

I have now named my oven the Alan Bravo oven (do the math).

Anyway, most of the material for this oven has been given to me, with the major costs coming from the initial slab being poured and things like mortar etc. It has truly been a blessing to be able to do this with such little expense.

I will be using the arched dome method for my oven. The question I'd like to ask is the bricks that are being offered to me have 3 holes in the middle. Would it be ok to fill them with mortar as I lay them, or am I looking at an integrity issue with containing heat?

My hearth is firebrick, but the gentleman being so generous simply didn't have enough for the rest.

[Les]

Dave - I have never seen firebick offered with holes. I may be totally wrong but It sounds like you have standard core brick. I wouldn't use those inside the oven no matter how much I saved.

Les...

[Dutchoven]

Originally Posted by DaveDQ

I have now named my oven the Alan Bravo oven (do the math).

Anyway, most of the material for this oven has been given to me, with the major costs coming from the initial slab being poured and things like mortar etc. It has truly been a blessing to be able to do this with such little expense.

I will be using the arched dome method for my oven. The question I'd like to ask is the bricks that are being offered to me have 3 holes in the middle. Would it be ok to fill them with mortar as I lay them, or am I looking at an integrity issue with containing heat?

My hearth is firebrick, but the gentleman being so generous simply didn't have enough for the rest.

Those are architectural brick and you should not use those for the oven chamber...under no circumstances...they will not hold up to the heat, will crack and spall, etc...not a good thing...you should bite the bullet and get some firebrick to construct the chamber and save those for the front facade/arch/outside finish...they will be fine in those applications as they will likely get barely warm...the firebrick will cost in the neighborhood of $1 each...if you give me an idea of the size of the oven you are planning I can give you a pretty close estimate as to the number of brick
All the best
Dutch

[DaveDQ]

Ok, thanks for your response. I'll use what I have as you suggested.

Thanks again.

[dmun]

One of the youtube videos I saw showed an oven being built with ordinary holed house bricks. (And no insulation, yikes!) Builders who have the most experience with plain clay bricks (the Australians) call for pressed reds, or what we would call pavers - bricks with no holes. If you choose to use the bricks you have, don't mortar the holes, I think the differential expansion will cause them to crack.

[DaveDQ]

If I may ask, I decided to get the remaining firebrick for the dome and use the architectural brick to form a wall around the edge of the stand.

I'm thinking of pouring vermiculite/concrete in between the firebrick hearth and the architectural brick wall, making that layer of insulation even with the oven's hearth. I have a bunch of this architectural brick and need to use it for something. That should be ok, no?

[dmun]

That should be ok, no?

Absolutely! That would make a great enclosure.